Dental bone graphs, implants. HELP?

Question

I just recently (3 weeks ago) went to the oral surgeon to get xrays on the bones in my mouth for implants. In little league, a baseball hit me in my mouth and knocked out my two front teeth. I just turned 18 so I was grown enough to get these implants. Upon going to check out my bones, the oral surgeon said everything looked good and we schedule a date to put pegs in for my implants. The date came and it was Friday, 3 days ago. He put me asleep and when I woke up he said that they had a change of plans and there wasnt enough bone so he had to complete a bone graph. It angered me a bit that I now had to wait 6 months to get my pegs in and another 6 months to actually get my crowns in but I guess it had to be done. Now I'm not sure about the procedure and healing process but after it was done it bled for about 6 hours after. The pain was minimal to almost none but on Saturday a white thing formed coming out of my gums, which looked like some bone. It is now gone, but my gums are now a whitish color, not fully white but definitely an obvious change from the normal red. I think this may indicate some sort of infection. The part that I hate the most is the stitches which seem to start on the roof of my mouth about a half inch- 1 inch from the spot where the implants are being placed and they end it the gums and hang a little bit. I was just wondering why the stitches start nearly directly in the center equidistant from each tooth on the roof of my mouth. Also, I believe they are dissolving stitches, any clue when these should disolve because the stitches really gross me out when my tongue touches them and it makes it so I talk poorly. Just wondering if these are common healing symptoms because my worst fear is having this bone graph to fail and having to do the whole process over again. Any ideas on the symptoms of a failing bone graph and when the symptoms usually occur? Thanks for all your help in advance.

Answer 1

5 years ago, I began the long process of having bone grafting to my entire upper jaw and had to have implants (pegs as you call them) drilled into the new bone twice as the first time, the bone grafting did not take (live)... ... After having each bone grafting, I had to wait 4 entire MONTHS before the implants were screwed into the new bone... the first time, all the implants fell out within 4 weeks of implantation.. the second time, longer implants were used and are still in place 4 years later...  However, I had to wait 4 months after the second implants also before the teeth could be put in...  The stitches were NOT all dissolveable.. and they stayed in for 10 days each time...having to return to my maxilliofacial surgeon to extracate the stitches...   Having an entire upper jaw full of stitches was much worse then the area 2 teeth would take, so consider yourself very lucky... and YES,  I too had stitches that went to the middle of the roof of my mouth with the bone grafts...(BOTH TIMES)...  as for the "white stuff" you noticed... if thee was no pain, it was probably not an infection but it could have been part of the new bone ...  The doctor did NOT realize the first bone graft had failed until after the implants were screwed in and had begun to fall out...  all I can say is.... it IS a long-drawn out procedure and hopefully the grafting you had will work and all will be well with you...  I have had my beautiful complete set up upper implants and teeth now without any problems and love them... Oh and another piece of advice... once you GET your teeth,  invest in a WATERPIK to clean the inside of the implants... I have had great checkups because I use the waterpik to clean my teeth and get the food particles out from INSIDE the implanted teeth...